Comforting Repetition

Yesterday, I started asking, “Do you find comfort in repetition? Or do you chafe under repetition as boring? When each day rolls around, is it exciting to repeat your movement habits?” And then I examined many different ways to find variety in the same activities, over and over.

A friend wrote me to say that variability is *not* their pursuit: Enjoying the same thing the same way each time is soothing. And this reminded me to think about the comfort in repetition. Many of us are *not* bored doing the same thing over and over. [If you are bored and you need ideas, yesterday’s post was for you.]

So let’s think about the comfort in repetition and the joy that can be found in this. Some habits are ways to reduce stress. You know exactly what your moves will be. You may be able to stop thinking so hard about technique and let muscle memory take over. You can relax as the routine set before you is an old friend, something you know well and feel safe appreciating.

You may be running or walking a path you’ve tread before. You know each turn, you know each hill. You may be climbing walls or rocks, and the surety of your reach and grip is reassuring. You may be dancing and the music is ingrained in your body, the moves a natural extension of what you are hearing. You may be lifting weights and the muscle routine feels right and good. You may be swimming laps or swimming in the ocean, and being immersed in the water always restores you.

How do you find comfort in your movement? How did you move today? How will you move tomorrow? May we cheer you on in *your* goals and pursuits?